State of the flock, September 2026

We're down to four chickens, none of them laying eggs.  Only Cookie (age 10), Rock (10), Cheep (8) and Birthday (3) are left.  I don't think we've had a chicken egg since spring;  I don't expect any of these old ladies to start up again either, and I asked the husband to put our names down for the next adoption with our preferred hen charity.  Our three Snowflake ducks (not yet 1) are regularly laying;  Girl Duck (also 10) is not--nor Boy Duck (8) of course.  

Birthday, Cheep and Rock (camera shy Cookie is not shown), September 2026

 I'm on the fence about replacing chickens actually:  it's kind of difficult maintaining two separate flocks.  That pesky Boy Duck--if/when he finally goes (and apparently they can live to 20?) I'll merge the chickens and ducks and decide then if I want to carry on replacing.  Not only is he a jerk to our chickens, drakes should not be mixed with hens because of the possibility of injury during mating attempts.  Cockerels can safely mix with ducks (though we have no cockerel);  it's an anatomy issue with drakes.  

The five ducks have been daily free ranging over the perennials section of the garden (not on the lawn) and chickens have had some free range over the lawn.  Both get locked away in their yards overnight and there is a temporary fence between them during the day.  I'm considering moving the other temporary fence from the kitchen garden to allow free range there--I want to start clearing away as most of my veg has finished and it's very weedy.

Why don't I just let the flock die out naturally without replacement?  I'm thinking of the last lonely hen all by herself.  It would be cruel to keep just one all alone--like ducks they are a flock animal and need friends.   

Duck flock in their summer yard, September 2026